Soften
A Victorian terrace where the boiler died twice in three years.
The Holloways had replaced their combi boiler in 2021 and watched a second unit fail by 2023. Both engineers cited the same cause: heavy limescale in the heat exchanger from SW4 water hardness of 320mg/L. After Soften fitted a twin-cylinder block-salt softener in the airing cupboard, the third boiler — now running on conditioned water — has been running without fault for fourteen months.
In avoided boiler repairs and extended appliance lifespan
A managed block where maintenance costs were compounding every quarter.
Meridian Block Management were spending £6,200 per year on communal boiler servicing, shower head replacements, and descaling callouts across a 38-unit residential building. Soften installed a commercial-grade twin-tank softener on the building's rising main. Maintenance spend dropped 61% in the first twelve months — a figure the building manager now presents at every annual service charge review.
First year post-installation across 38 units in E14
The moment they stopped buying bottled water for the coffee machine.
"We had a Nespresso that needed descaling every three weeks. The shower screen was a full-time job. I'd stopped drinking tap water entirely because of the chalky taste — we were going through six litres of bottled water a week just for hot drinks." Six weeks after Soften's installation, the Okafor family haven't bought a bottle of water since. The coffee machine has needed one descale in eight months. The shower screen cleans with a single wipe.
Coffee machine required one descale cycle in eight months vs. every three weeks prior
Across Greater London since 2014
SW, SE, W, NW, E, EC, WC, N covered
Estimated across our client base
When softened water is fitted from new
Service area postcodes
The fix is invisible. The savings aren't.
The difference was immediate — not dramatic, just quiet. The shower screen stopped needing daily attention. The kettle stopped furring up. Six months in and I haven't thought about limescale once, which is exactly how it should be.
Priya Mehta
Homeowner · Clapham, SW4
I manage twelve properties across Kensington and Hammersmith. Soften have now fitted softeners in eight of them. The maintenance callouts for boiler issues have essentially stopped. It's the best per-unit spend I've made in five years of management.
James Fairweather
Property Manager · Kensington, W8
We were quoted £3,800 for a new boiler. Our plumber suggested we speak to Soften first. The softener cost less than half that, and the existing boiler has been running without fault for nineteen months since installation.
Adaeze Okonkwo
Landlord · Bermondsey, SE1
Find out what's in your water. Free.
A Soften engineer visits your property, tests your water hardness on-site, and gives you a written assessment with recommended options. No sales pressure. No call centre. A qualified engineer at your door within five working days.
- 30-minute on-site water hardness test
- Written assessment with your property's exact mg/L reading
- Recommended softener type and sizing for your setup
- Transparent installation quote — no hidden labour costs
What London's water looks like
WHO classification: >200mg/L = Very Hard. Softened water target: <50mg/L. Source: Thames Water Quality Report 2024.